A TOP private school have scrapped rugby games over safety fears for their “small and light” players.

Independent boarding school Glenalmond College, in Perthshire, have pulled out of several fixtures with other schools in Scotland.

One of the fixtures that will not go ahead this year is the traditional derby against Strathallan.

Last year, the team suffered a 79-0 defeat to a “very physical and imposing” Strathallan side. They also lost 67-0 to George Watson’s and 52-7 to Loretto school.

In a letter to parents, school warden Gordon Woods said there was a “very considerable amount of staff and parent concern” over the issue. He added: “I would like to stress that this ­decision was based purely on grounds of safety relating to the risk of physical injury.

“It was certainly not about winning or losing a game of rugby.”

The move was welcomed by Scotland international Sean Lamont.

He said: “I was quite small when I was younger, about 5ft 6in at 16 or 17. The gulf can be massive when you’re a teenager. I was a late ­developer but I was playing against guys who were huge.”